Redundancies not happening, says Blue Care

BLUE Care has strongly denied Millbank Village staff members have been offered redundancies or are being forced to make decisions regarding their futures by next Wednesday.

The response comes after Queensland Nurses Union local organiser Linda Fuller told the NewsMail some staff had been offered a redundancy and some employees had resigned.

A Blue Care spokeswoman said management had completed initial one-on-one meetings with the majority of its Millbank employees.

"For clarity, employees are not being forced to make decisions within specified time frames,” the spokeswoman said.

"In addition, no forced redundancies have ever been planned or will occur.

"If employees do express interest in redundancy as an option, Blue Care will consider that request.

"We will fully support our people with any decision they choose to make.”

On January 10, Blue Care met with employees to personally inform them of three wing closures at Millbank Village, which would see 36 residents moved into other Blue Care facilities at no cost to families.

Blue Care says many in the community with low-care needs are increasingly choosing to remain in their own home and receive support from at-home personal carers and nurses.

The organisation argues this has reduced the demand for some residential facilities such as Millbank Village.

"We appreciate that changes of this nature can cause concern among those affected, which is why we are fully supporting our people during this transition,” the spokeswoman said.

"Unions have been consulted throughout the process and this will continue.”

The spokeswoman said Blue Care had a "strong, ongoing commitment to provide the highest quality community health and residential aged care services to the Bundaberg and Fraser Coast communities”.